One year later, police seek answers in Md. teen’s murder

Almost one year ago, a Prince George's County teen was murdered as
she slept in her bed.

This is the flyer Prince George's County Police are distributing as they seek information about the August 2012 death of Amber Stanley. (Courtesy of PGPD)

KETTERING, Md. – Nearly a year after a 17-year-old honors student was shot and killed in her home, police returned to the scene Monday night in hopes of gathering new clues about the murder.

Amber Stanley was found dead at her home in the 100 block of Chartsey Street in the Kettering area of Prince George’s County on Aug. 22, 2012, and police have made no arrests.

Prince George’s County police have said the person who shot Stanley seemed to have done so with purpose, heading straight upstairs to Stanley’s bedroom after breaking into the home.

Other people who were in the home at the time got out safely.

A studious girl, Stanley was an honors student at Charles H. Flowers High School. She reportedly hoped to get into Harvard University and study medicine.

Monday night, homicide detectives with the Prince George’s County Police Department returned to the neighborhood to speak with residents and pass out flyers showing Stanley’s face.

Police say they have received many leads in the case, and hope returning to the crime scene to talk with nearby residents may get them even more information.

“Some people may have been reluctant to talk, some people think we may have had information that we don’t have,” said Prince George’s County Police Capt. George Nichols.

Nichols said the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident, and added that the community is safe.

The girl’s mother, Irma Gaither, told reporters she tries not to spend time thinking about her daughter’s murder.

“I think about everything before that, all the good and happy times. Because that’s what keeps me sane.”

It was visibly difficult for Gaither to share her memories of some of the last moments with her daughter.

“The last time I saw her we were discussing her makeup and how pretty she looked with the pink lipstick on. And she says, ‘Mommy, are you sure I look cute?’ I said ‘Yeah, you look really nice’, and she said ‘OK,’ and I gave her a kiss.”

Police are offering a cash reward of as much as $25,000 for tips that lead to an arrest and indictment in this case.